Characteristics and Traits of Filipinos

1. Hospitality
This is one of the most popular qualities of Filipinos. Foreigners who have gone to the Philippines find
themselves falling in love with the warm hospitality they are shown. It's a different kind of value system,
which has existed for thousands of years. Here are some examples of the hospitality that Filipinos show,
not only to foreigners, but also to their fellow citizens:

 When a person visits a friend's house, the host greets him or her with a very warm welcome. The
host will immediately let their visitor sit down and will prepare a meal or a snack plus drinks for the
visitor. The host will insist that the friend not leave the house with an empty stomach. A host will
always make sure you had a great time visiting them.
 People offer their guest room to visitors if they're going to spend the night.
 Meals offered to guests are very special. A host always finds a way to prepare great tasting food
that her visitor wants to eat.
2. Respect
This is often observed—not just by younger people—but also by people of all ages.
 Children respect elders by saying "po" and "opo," which mean "yes," when answering their elders.
 Children or young adults also show respect by putting their elders' hands on their foreheads.
 Filipinos also show respect at work by making a bow to their employers.
3. Strong Family Ties and Religions
Yes. Filipinos value their families so much that they tend to keep families intact through the generations.
 Families go to church and pray together because their religion is important and creates a strong
bond, marking God as the center of their lives.
 Families make sure to have quality time together especially after a day's work. Just watching
television or eating a family meal will be valued and prioritized in everybody's schedules.
4. Generosity and Helpfulness
Filipinos are generous people. Even when we have very little, we always share with those around us.
 During special occasions such as birthdays or "fiestas" —parties when people from other places visit
your home to celebrate with you—there are lots of foods specially prepared for everyone! Friends,
family, friends of friends, and even strangers can gather and they are always willing to share food
and help out.
 When a neighbor is in trouble, Filipinos are always ready to help them.
5. Strong Work Ethic
Yes, we are hardworking people to the point that we are willing to work almost the whole day just to feed
our families. That's how Filipinos are.
 One example of a hardworking person is a farmer. They earn so little but they still work very hard for
not much compensation.
 Filipinos always find creative ways to earn a living, like creating a small business from their home
where they sell foods or other items for the convenience of their neighbors.
6. Love and Caring
This is so true! Filipinos are the sweetest and most loving people in the world. I'm not just saying this
because I'm a Filipino; if you know us well, you will soon figure this out.
 Men are so sweet and romantic when it comes to love. They will send their beloved flowers, bring
her to a very romantic place, text her sweet quotes, and tell often how special she is to them.
 Filipino women are also romantic and very caring, which often makes foreigners want to marry
them. Women tend to prepare dinner before their husband comes home. They are loving, and value
the relationship, always staying faithful to their husbands. They love deeply and sincerely.

Fatalism: An attitude of "what goes around, comes around" or "come what may." We have a tendency to
surrender our future to fate. We often accept bad news or circumstances without trying to stop or change
them. This can sometimes be helpful in adversity, but it can also keep us from finding ways out of
situations. Also, constantly expecting the worst can get pretty depressing.
Crab mentality: This is prevalent in politics where people tend to push each other down to clear the way
for their own gain. Politicians, especially, try their best to ruin each other, but this can also happen among
regular people. I think it goes to the point of selfishness.

Filipino Customs and Traditions

Our culture is a big reflection of our great and complex history. It is influenced by most of the people we
have interacted with. A blend of the Malayo-Polynesian and Hispanic culture with the influence from
Chinese, Indians Arabs, and other Asian cultures really contribute to the customs and traditions of the
Filipinos.
Filipino culture is unique compared to other Asian countries, and beliefs apply every day in the life of the
Filipinos and reveal how rich and blessed the culture the people have.
Let’s review some of the popular Filipino traditions and find the similarities that bind Filipinos to each
other.
First on the list is Mano Po. When children or young people greet or say goodbye to their elders they
typically do so by taking the right hand of the elder with their right hand and touch the back the elder's
hand lightly on their forehead. It is a way of giving respect to the elders and I believe that is also a way of
receiving blessing to the elders.

Mano is a Spanish word for “hand” while Po is used in the end of the sentence when addressing elders
or superiors.

Next is that Filipinos are one of the most hospitable people you may find anywhere. Foreign visitors in
the country are treated with the utmost respect. This trait is usually seen during fiestas and holidays
where many Filipinos are giving their best to entertain their visitors well.
It is amazing to see that even the simplest home along the road opens their home to a stranger. For
Filipinos, to be able to serve others gives them honor of showing true friendship. Filipino Hospitality is a
trait you can't take away from them.
Having Close Family Ties is also one of their unique traits. It is one of the outstanding cultural values
that Filipinos have. The family takes care of each other and are taught to be loyal to family and elders by
simply obeying their authorities. This is one of the unique characteristics of Filipinos. Having fondness
for family reunions during secular and religious holidays such as Christmas, New Year’s eve, All Saints’
Day, Holy Week, Fiestas, homecomings, birthdays, weddings, graduations, baptisms, funerals etc. is
evidence that Filipino people valued not only our cultural tradition but the spirit of our family. As Filipinos,
we are blessed to have been brought up with strong family ties.

Bayanihan
Have you ever experienced the bayanihan in our country? It is the spirit of communal unity or effort to
achieve a particular objective. A famous example of this is the neighbors carrying a hut or house to a
new location. People nowadays use it to describe an outpouring of community spirit-as people give their
all to the common good, without expecting recognition or personal gain.

Courtship
We Filipinos are very romantic when it comes to heart affairs. Serenading or Harana in Tagalog is one of
the most popular forms of courtship to show that a man is very serious with his intentions to a woman. A
serenade would require the young man to sing a love song in front of the young lady's house. Normally,
he is accompanied by his male friends who act as back-up singers. The man himself or his friend played
the instrument, usually a guitar, which provides the background music to his song.
They would have to wait until the young lady opened a window to listen. It would be up to her if she
wanted to invite them in for some refreshment and to chat after the song. Even if they had been asked to
come in, the suitor would not expect that he could have the chance of a private moment with his object
of affection. It was highly likely that the parents would also be there to entertain the man and his friends.
Religion
The Philippines is one of two predominantly Roman Catholic nations in Asia-Pacific. Their habit of going
to church and often praying reflects that Filipinos have a deep faith and belief when it comes to religion.
They are very devoted to religions that sometimes many take the risk of their lives just to touch the Black
Nazarine (in Quiapo Manila). For many, it is just a choice between their faith and fears.
Filipinos believe that having a strong devotion may lead to a better life and their guidance to face
everyday life.

Superstition
In the Philippines, superstitious beliefs have grown throughout the country. These beliefs have come
from the different sayings and beliefs of our ancestors that aim to prevent danger from happening or to
make a person refrain from doing something in particular.
These beliefs are part of our culture, for one derives their beliefs from the influences of what their
customs, traditions and culture have dictated to explain certain phenomena or to scare people. Some
are practiced primarily because Filipinos believe that there is nothing to lose if they will comply with
these beliefs.

Cuisine
The Philippines is considered the melting pot of Asia. The rich medley of Chinese, Malay, Spanish,
Mexican, American, and Indian cooking are noticed in Philippine cuisine. Eating out is one of the
favorite Filipino pasttimes. A typical Pinoy diet consists at most of six meals a day; breakfast, snacks,
lunch, snacks, dinner, and again a midnight snack before going to sleep. Rice is a staple in the Filipino
diet, and is usually eaten together with other dishes. Filipinos regularly use spoons together with forks
and knives. Some also eat with their hands, especially in informal settings, and when eating seafood.
Other popular dishes brought from Spanish and Southeast Asian influences include afritada, asado,
chorizo, empanadas, mani (roasted peanuts), paksiw (fishor pork, cooked in vinegar and water with
some spices like garlic and pepper), pan de sal (bread rolls), pescado frito (fried or grilled fish), sisig,
torta(omelette), kare-kare (ox-tail stew), kilawen, pinakbet (vegetable stew), pinapaitan, and sinigang
(tamarind soup with a variety of pork, fish, or prawns). Some delicacies eaten by some Filipinos may
seem unappetizing to the Western palate include balut (boiled egg with a fertilized duckling inside),
longanisa (sweet sausage), and dinuguan (soup made from pork blood).

Marriage and Wedding Customs

In the country, marriage is a sacred union of man and women after a period of courtship and
engagement. It is a sacrament between two people who love each others. For many Filipinos, the
eternal quality of dedication to God pervades a truly sacred marriage.
A sacred marriage is a covenant between two who love each other in God and with God, whose joining
becomes an expression of the desire of each to love and serve God together.

Death
Death in the Philippines is one of the most important occasions in family life. For many Filipinos, a death
of relatives is an opportunity to strengthen ties in the Family. To pay respect and honor the relationship
to the deceased, long lost relatives, friends, and even relatives working abroad are reunited.
The Philippines is the home of some unique death rituals that are partly religious and mostly
superstitious. The mourning and the weeping are still present, but a happy and welcoming atmosphere
would usually envelop the place to help the deceased on his journey to the afterlife.
After the death of a person, a nine-day period of having a novena of prayers and Masses offered up to
the deceased is held, although the beginning of the "Siyam na araw" varies, but usually ends the week
after the death. Another period follows after death, the 40-day mourning period. Family members
indicate their state of bereavement by wearing a small, black rectangular plastic pin on their left breast or
breast pocket area. A ceremonial mass is held at the end of this 40-day period. Common belief states
that the soul goes to Heaven after these 40 days, following the belief that Jesus Christ ascended to
Heaven after the said period of days.
Society
The primary ancestors of Filipinos are Malays who came from the southeastern Asian country which is
now called Indonesia. The Philippines is a combined society, both singular and plural in form. It is
singular as one nation, but plural in that it is fragmented geographically and culturally. The nation is
divided between Christians, Muslims, and other religious-ethno-linguistic groups; between urban and
rural people; between upland and lowland people; and between the rich and the poor. Although different
in numerous ways, the Filipinos are very hospitable and give appropriate respect to everybody
regardless of race, culture and belief.

Christmas in the Philippines

Christmas in the Philippines is considered as one of the biggest holidays in the archipelago. We earned
the distinction of celebrating the world’s longest Christmas season with Christmas carols heard as early
as September and lasting until Epiphany, the feast of the Black Nazarene on January 9 or the Feast of
the Santo Niño de Cebú on the third Sunday of January.
In one’s article, Archbishop Cruz told in his Christmas message that "the essence of Christmas is God
made flesh, God who has come among us" in an act of love "that joins humankind to the Living God
through our Lord Jesus Christ".
For many Filipinos, the true essence of Christmas for is not gift giving but sharing this special holy day
with family.

Fiestas
Every town and city in the Philippines has a fiesta of its own; whatever time of the year it is, there's sure
to be a fiesta going on somewhere.
Fiestas in the Philippines are held to celebrate a patron saint. It is part and parcel of Filipino culture
through good times and bad times, it must go on. The biggest and most elaborate festival of all is
Christmas, a season celebrated with all the pomp and pageantry where the whole country breaks out in
celebrations that can begin long before December.
For individual Filipinos, fiestas can be a way of supplicating the heavens or to make amends for past
wrongs. It is a way to celebrate their blessings, commemorate their past and observe solemn religious
rituals. Celebrations may take the form of music, dancing, feasting, beauty contests, balls, processions,
sports challenges or a host of other events.
Spanish influence is evident in the elaborate masks, makeup, headdresses and costumes worn by the
revelers; outfits which often take months of preparation.

Living with Parents

Filipinos highly value the presence of family more than anything. Adult children living with their parents
are another Filipino traditional that make them exceptional. Unlike in the United States where children
leave the home after finishing high school or college, many Filipinos continue living with parents until
they get married.

Eating with a Fork and Spoon

One Filipinos identity is that they are eat using a fork and a spoon. The fork is place in the left hand while
the spoon is in the right hand. Fork is used to place or push the food into the spoon which is held by the
right hand.
Since rice is the main staple of the Filipinos at almost every meal, the fork and spoon method is ideal. It
is believe that the use of a spoon and a fork is perfect for the way Southeast Asians prepare and cook
their food. Unlike the Americans who like their meats and other food items in big slabs and humongous
chunks, Southeast Asians generally prepare their dishes in bite-sized pieces -- chopped, minced or
ground -- thus leaving no real need for a knife.

Eating with Hands (Kamayan)

In addition to the use of the fork and spoon, eating with your hands or kamayan is another common
Filipino tradition. For many Filipinos, kamayan gives full taste to the food instead of using utensils.
Gather a small portion of meat or fish and a bite-sized portion of rice on your plate. Then use all your
fingers to gather the food into a small mountain or mound. Pick up the little mound and put it in your
mouth using your thumb to gently push the food in.
Filipinos usually eat rice that has a slightly sticky consistency so making the little mounds is easier than if
you were to use a jasmine or basmati rice. Of course, this method of eating doesn't work with soup/stew
or noodles and other kinds of food but for your basic plate of rice, meat/fish and vegetables it works quite
well! Next time you make dinner try eating kamayan.

Balikbayan Boxes
Some Filipinos leave the Philippines to live and work abroad. A balikbayan box is a box of items sent by
the balikbayan to their family in the Philippines. The box can be sent or it can be brought by the sender
when they themselves return to the Philippines. Balikbayan boxes come in all different sizes and
dimensions from bulilit (small) to extra large. It can be filled with almost anything but it is usually filled
with items that cannot be found in the Philippines or items that may be too expensive for the average
person to buy in the Philippines. Common items found in balikbayan boxes include: clothes, shoes,
chocolate, nuts, vitamins, basketballs, coffee and tea, magazines, shampoo/conditioner, soap, body
lotion, etc.
Kabanata 26
Iniwan ni Don Juan si Donya Maria malapit sa Berbanya dahil kailangan pa harapan ang tatay niya.
Sinabi niya kay Donya Maria na babalikan niya siya. Pumayag si Donya Maria pero hinling kay Don Juan
na umiwas sa mga babae dahil baka makalimutan niya siya. Pagdating ni Don Juan sa Berbanya ay lahat
nagging masaya, lalo na dito si Donya Leonora na naghintay ng pitong taon para sa kanya. Nakalimutan
na ni Don Juan si Donya Maria at sinabi ni Donya Leonora sa hari na gusto niya kasalin si Don Juan.
Nagisip ng mabuti ang dito pero sa wakas ay pinayagan ito. Nagsaya ang lahat pero nagalit si Donya
Maria dahil nakalimutan ni Don Juan ang pangako niya sa kanya.

Kabanata 27
Sa araw ng pagkasal nina Don Juan at Donya Leonora ay dumating si Donya Maria. Nakasakay siya sa
ising karosang walang papalag sa kagandahan at nagbihis siya ng isang emperatris. Sinusuot rin niya
ang isang singsing na may mahika: lahat ng hinihiling ay nakukuha. Pagdating sa Berbanya ay
sinalubong ng reyna at hari. Tinigil nila ang kasal para sa kanya at tinanong kung ano gagawin niya.
Sinabi ni Donya Maria na mayroon siyang palabas na inihanda niya para sa kasal.

Mayroong magkasal na negrito at negrita at ang negrita ay may hinahawak na panghampas. Nagsimula
na ang palabas at ang negrita ay tinanong ang negrito ng pangalan at kung kilala niya si Donya Maria
pero sinabi ng negrito na wala siyang maalala. Tinanong ng negrita kung bakit niya nakalimutan dahil
siya ang irog niya. Kwinento ng negrita ang mga ginawa ng totoong Donya Maria sa pagtutulong kay Don
Juan sa mga pagsubok ng hari. Hinampas ng negrita ang katawan ng negrito pero nasasaktan si Don
Juan. Nagsayaw muli ang mga ita at ngayon naman ay tinanong ng negrita sa negrito kung naala niya
ang pagtulong ulit ni Donya Maria kay Don Juan pero hindi parin niya maalala kaya hinampas muli.
Nasaktan nanaman si Don Juan at tumayo siya sa sakit. Tinuloy ng negrita ang pagkwento sa mga
ginawa ni Donya Maria sa tulong niya sa pagtatakas sa hari pero hindi parin maalala ng negrito at
nasaktan muli si Don Juan. Tinuloy muli ang kwento at inilabas ni Donya Maria ang mga damdamin niya
kay Don Juan at tinanong ulit sa negrito pero wala parin sa kanyang lirip. Nasaktan muli si Don Juan at
natapos na ang palabas. Wala na ang dalawang ita at natitira lamang ang praskong balat ng pilak

Kabanata 28
Nagalit na si Donya Maria dahil hindi parin siya maalala ni Don Juan at hinwakan niya nag prasko at
handa na niyang basagin na biglang naalala na ni Don Juan siya. Humingi siya ng tawad kay Donya
Maria, hinalikan siya, at sinabi niya na mahal parin niya siya at kung may galit pa siya ay patawarin na
niya si Don Juan. Dahil dito ay nagulat si Donya Leonora at kwinento niya sa hari ang nangyari sa kanya
at Don Juan at kung paano niya iniligtas siya at ang kapati niya, si Donya Juana. Kwinento rin niya ang
pagtaksil ni Don Pedro kay Don Juan. Tumuloy ang pagkasal ni Don Juan kay Donya Leonora pero sa
galit ni Donya Maria ay ang tubig sa kanyang prasko ay ibinuhos sa palasyo at nagbaha ang buong reyno
dahil dito. Kinausap ni Don Juan si Donya Maria at sinabi na mahal niya siya. Tinigil ang kasal nina Don
Juan at pinakasal si Donya Leonora kay Don Pedro dahil ay titibay ang kaharian. Pinagsalamatan siya ni
Don Juan dahil sa pagligtas niya sa kanila.

Kabanata 29
Ang paghingi ni Don Juan na makasal si Donya Maria ay ibinigay sa wakas ng Hari at Arsobispo at
sumabay rin ang pagkasal nila kay Don Pedro at Donya Leonora. Masaya at matuwa si Donya Maria
pero si Donya Leonora ay tahimik lang sa pagkasal kay Don Pedro. Pinili ni Don Fernando maging
susunod na hari si Don Juan pero sinabi ni Donya Maria na may sarili na siyang renyo at hinihintay na
nila ang dalawa. Si Don Pedro ay naging hari ng Berbanya at bumalik na sila Don Juan sa Reyno ng de
los Kristal. Pagdating nila ay siyam na araw nagpista ng masaya. Naging maganda na ang buhay ng
mag-asawa at maayos at mabuto ang paghahari nila hanggang kamatayan nila. Ito ang wakas ng Ibong
Adarna.